Tube-forming machine



May 12, 1925.

TUBE FORMING MACHINE s-Sheet 1 Filed Deb. 6, 192.1

2 Sheet W N May 12, 1925.

. P. R. HAWTHORNE TUBE FORMING-MACHINE File'dbec. 6, 1921, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 1 -f I I l .J

Patented May 12; 1925 1,537,163 PATENT arries,

PRIMM a. HAWTIL;RNE,'-;0:1?"5$T1 LOUIS," me ns-I, Assxenoa' "no ABRAHAM :L.- LEVI,

' I '1OF -:ST. LQUIS,-MISSOPUBI.

TUBE-I0 It'll/ LING MACHJINE.

Application filed December 6, 1921. Serial No'.*520;217.

To a? Z whom if; may 0011mm Be it known that I, Pnunvr Rfgl awruonnn, atcitizen of "the United States siding in the city of St. Louis; Sta-teoflVIissouri, have invented a certain n'ewand use in] improvement in Tube-Forming ll Ia chines; of whichthe following 1s a specification, reference being had to'the 'accom-* uniform selected lengthsfrom a continuous strip of SlllfiblG sheet metal.

With the abo've and other obects in View,

my present invention resides in" the novel 0 features of: form, construction;arrangement,

and combination (of parts hereinafter .de-

scribed and afterwards pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings,

Figurel is a plan'view of a tube-forming machine constructedin accordance with'and cznhod ing'my invention;

l igure is a side elevation-a1View Of the machine; v

l igure 3 is a detail sectional'yi-ew of the machine taken approximately on the line 3- 3, Figure 2, lo'oking in the direction of the arrow; g

Figure a is an enlarged detail plan View oi. the reversing mechanism of the machine;

l igure 5 is an enlarged side elevational View ,oi the reversing mechanism; lfiigure (3 is an enlarged plan View oft'he tube gripping-jaws;

Figure 4'' .is a11 enlar;ged [front elevational View of the tube gripping-jaws and l igure S is an enlarged traglnental View of the n achine showing the tube-length cutting saw and its actuating means. 'i

Referring now more detail to the said drawings which. illustrate a practical 'emhediment or? my invention-andin whiclrl'ilke reference characters refer to like parts throughout-the several Views, 1 indicates a suitable base which is adapted'to rest upon a table i'l()01',,01' other place of support. Fixed to base 1 are standards 2-,- to which a pair of suitably elongated metallic sections or plates 3--S are rigidly bolted or otherwise fixed in upstamling spaced parallel relation mine This invent'ion'relates generally 'to a cer-.

ect of my present invention and which; it mi-ghthe said, term the hody of the i maehi ne, the plates 3 -be'ing reiniorced in spaced relation by preferably integral end cross-plates 4-4=-a-nd intermediate spacing-memhers At their upper edges, the plates'or walls 3 3 are termed withopposite'ly disposed intur-ned ',;-por-tions or flanges -66; which provide a-gi-iide or slideway lengthwise or -lOI'lgltHClPlDHFl-ly of the 1nachine intermediate the walls 3+3; and rigidly fixed to base 1 and disposed laterally of the body of the-machine, as best seen in ure 1, for purposes shortly appearingis an approximately rec-t angular housing com'pri ing ripstan ding suitably; spaced opposite side walls 7-4", :a so ealled front wall :8, and a top wall 9. v

Havingpreferably tongue-and-groove connection with, and disposed for SllCllHg DQQV G- ment longitudinally of the machine upon, the guide'or slide-way 6,-is a su-i-talblyelon gated "Thar or so-ca-lled carriage "10 provided or formed -lengthw-ise upon its under face with a rack 11. I

' Mounted for rotation in the body-walls 3 at a suitable point intermediate their ends as'bestseen Figures 1 and 2, is a transverse shaft 12, fixed upon which intermediate t'he'xi alls 3, as ihest seen in Figure 3 is a pinion 1'3 meshing for driving engagement with the rack '11; and also fixed upon the shaft 12 is a preferably sprocketgear 1st having driven connection, by a chain; belt, orthe like '15, with a pinion fixed upon a shaft 17 mounted-for rotation in suitable bearings 18 formed in walls 7. The pin-ion 16' and shaft 17 "form parts of a standard reversing mechanism that includes a pair o-t spaced oppositely disposed {beveled gears 1919 loosely mounted for rotation upon shaft 17 andxeach provided upon its inner facewith an annular :series of ratchet-teeth 20. Feathered upon shaft 17 formove1nent inter-mediate'the gears 191 9, is aclutclr hlockQlprbvided with all-annular groove?! and'pro-vided upon its opposite endfaces with series of ratchet-teeth adapted for clutching engagement alternately with the ratchet teeth. 2020 of gears -19-19. Supported for rotation in the housing-wall 9 and in a suitable hearing-standard 24, is a rotary shaft fixed upon which and having meshing engagement with the gears 1,9 19, is a third'hereled gearflfi Pivoted on the housing top-wall 9, is a short bar 27, depending from one end of which and fit ting at its free end in the groove 22 of clutchblock 21, is a stud 28, and rigidly connected at one end to the opposite end of bar 27, is an arm 29, the other or free end of which loosely fits beneath the under side of a preferably triangular plate 31 pivoted, as at 32, for rocking movement upon housing-wall 9. Rigidly supported at its rearward end by an arm 33 projecting laterally from carriage 10 and extending for sliding movement through a support 3 f fixed on the body-walls 3 adjacent the forward end of the machine, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, is an elongated longitudinally disposed bar 35, located upon which in suitably spaced relation upon opposite sides of the plate 81 is a fixed tripping-dog 36 and a second tripping-dog 37, the latter being adapted for adjustment along the bar 35, for purposes shortly appearing.

Depending from plate 31 in the path of movement of the dogs 36--37, is a stud or lug 38, and also depending from plate 31 and disposed upon opposite sides of the free endof arm 29, are arm-rocking pins or studs 3939.

The shaft 25 and its gear 26 rotating and assuming the block 21 to be in clutching engagement with one of the gear-ratchets 20, the carriage 10 and its carried bar 35 will, through their described driving connections, including the meshing gear 13 and rack 11, be caused to travel lengthwise in one direction, for instance, forwardly, longitudinally of the machine, until the adjustable dog 37 engages the lug 38, whereupon the plate 31 will be rocked upon its pivot 32 and, under engagement with pin 39, arm 29, in turn, rocked, and, through bar 27 and its depending stud 28, block 21 slidably actuated into clutching engagement with the ratchetteeth 20 of the other bevel-gear 19, when the direction of movement of carriage 10 will be at once reversed and carriage 10 now caused to travel rearwardly longitudinally of the machine. The carriage 10 continues to so move rearwardly until its other or fixed dog 36, in turn, engages the lug 38, when, in the same manner, the direction of movement of carriage 10 will be similarly changed and the carriage 10 now caused to again travel forwardly longitudinally of the machine. Thus, as plate 31 is rocked or pivotally thrown alternately as described in opposite directions, the bar 2'? and its depending lug 28 will be correspondingly alternately thrown and block 21 slidably moved into clutching-engagement alternately with the teeth 20 of gears 19 and shaft 17 consequently rotated first in one direction and then in the other, and that, as shaft 17 is so revcrsely rotated, the bar or carriage 10 will be automatically moved or caused through the meshing gear 13 and rack 11 to travel reciprocator ly first in one direction and then reversely in the other direction longitudinally of the machine. It will be understood that shaft 25 may be constantly rotated' by any suitable means, although for such purpose I here show a motor d0 having its armature-shaft connected for driving actuation of shaft 25 by meshing-gears 41-4l-2, as best seen in Figure 1. Fastened at its ends to pins 43-1t3 presented upwardly from arm 29 and plate 31, as best seen in Figures t and 5, is an elastic member preferably in the form of a coiled spring 41% adapted to quicken the rocking movement of plate 31 from a point of dead center and consequently also the reversal of movement of carriage 10 when the plate 31 is engaged at its lug 38 by one or the other of the dogs 3t -37.

Mounted upon the body-walls 3 preferably at a point vertically above the shaft 12 and slide-way (3, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, is a stationary block or the like 45, in which is suitably mounted a tube-forming die i6 having its bore disposed longitudinally of th machine in a plane intermediate the walls 3-43.

Fixed upon the carriage 10 at a suitable point for movement with the carriage throughout forwardly of the die 46, is a pair of superposed plates 41-47, loosely disposed between which is a pair of blocks or jaws 484S oppositely concaved, as at S Q-S), upon their inner meeting faces to grippingly receive and accommodate the forwardly projecting end of a suitably elongated cylindrical rod or tube-forming core. 50, which, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, is suitably fixed at its rear end in a support 51 upstanding from carriage 10 adjacent its rear end and which core-rod is of a length to axially extend forwardly of the machine through both the die 6 and the gripping jaws l-848 when the carriage is at the limit of its rearward movement. Arranged between, and pivotally connected at an end to, the plates 4747, as best seen in Figures 6 and 7, is ,a pair of oppositely disposed arms 5252 normally extending both, inwardly, and obliquely towards the forward end, of the machine, with their opposite inner free ends loosely disposed in recesses or sockets, as at 5353, in the opposite outer faces of the jaw-blocks 18. Also suitably fixed to the carriage 1O forwardly of the jaws e 8, is an abutment 54:, and disposed be tween, and suitably attached at its opposite ends to, the abutment 5 1 and the forward end of the jaws 4S48, is a suitably compressed coiled spring 55 whose tension is constantly exerted to force the jaws 48 rearwardly of the machine, which action, in turn, tends to pivotally move or swing the arms in their engagement with the men-res a width selected to form tubes of the desired.

diameterthe wider the strip the larger the diameter of the finished formed tubes, the dimensions of the machine, including the core-rod 50, the die 46, and the grippingjaws 48, varying accordingly.

59 designates an arm which is loosely supported at an end upon the shaft 25 and disposed transversely of the machine, as seen in Figures 1, 2, and 8, and carried by and mounted for rotation in the other end of arm 59, is a relatively short rotary shaft 60 disposed longitudinally of the machine in a plane approximately centrally directly above the guide-way6. Fixed axially upon the shaft- 60 and rotating in a plane trans- Verse to the guide-way 6, is a rotary'saw or other suitable metal-cutting member 61; and also fixed upon 'the shaft 60, is a pulley 62, belt or otherwise connected, as at 68, for driven actuation with a larger pulley $4 fixed on shaft 25. Attached at its opposite ends to the arm 59 and to base 1, is a coiled spring or the like 65 which functions to yieldingly hold the shaft 60 and its carried saw 61in raised or elevated position out of the feeding-plane or path of travel of the carriage 10 and its carried core-rod 50 Suitably carried by the arm 59 intermediate its ends, is an angle-bar 66, one leg or flange of which is disposed directly beneath the carriage-bar 35 and which angle-bar 66 is so fixed to arm 59 to lengthwise extend a w a suitable angle from its rearward to its forward end obliquely downwardly relatively to the machine. Pivotally fastened at one end to the bar 35 and adapted for co-operation with the angle bar 66, depending so-called tripping-dog 67. The dog 67 may freely swing in a direction rearwardiy of the machine and when the C211? riage 10 is traveling forwardly rides idly upon the angle-bar 66. Provided on the dog 67, however, is an offset pin 68 which is adapted to engage the bar to limit the pivotal movement of the dog 67 in a direction forwardly of the machine. Consequently, when the carriage 10 is traveling rearwardly of the machine, the dog 67 will .be engaged by the angle-bar 66 and, due to the described angular disposition of bar 66 and being held from further pivoted movement by the pin 68 engaging the bar 35, the dog 67 in traveling upon the bar 66 will gradually depress the arm 59 against the tension of spring 65 and thus lower the saw 61 into the plane of movement or path of travel of the core-rod 50. Y

Upstanding from the body 3 of the machine rearwardly of the stationary die &6, is a suitable standard 69 supporting a suitable strip-wiper comprising a pair of felt or other suitable pads ZO7O disposed transversely of the machine directly above the guide-wayb. Y

Assuming now, as here shown, that the carriage 10 is at the limit of its rearward movement, when the saw 61 will bein raised position out of the path of travel of the carnage l0 and the core-rod 5O retracted out of the cutting plane of the saw,,and that a strip-roll is in supplying position upon the shaft 57, the freeend of the continuous strip 58 of the roll is first fed flatwisc through, and wiped and cleaned by, the

pads 7070, then manually or otherwise bent into'tube form around corerod 50, and then projected through die d6 and into gripped engagen'ient by the jaws 48, such preliminary movement or feeding of the strip 58 being facilitated by manual operation of the moving-parts of the machine by means of a crank 71 fixed to shaft 12, and I may here state that interposed in shaft is a suitable clutch device 72 for permitting relative movement without breakage of such parts of the machine and the motor. The so tube-formed stripeud being now engaged by the aws 4:8,;the motor is started, whereupon the carriage 10 and its carried parts, including the jaws 48 and core 50, will be caused to travel forwardly of the machine. In such movement, the core 50 moves axially through the die 46 and jaws d8 pull the strip 58 upon the core forwardly through the die 4:8, where the strip is caused'to cylindrically in tubeform hug the core 50 with its opposite side edges tightly abutting and is thus formed into a tube of the desired diameter. The carriage 1.0 continues to travel forwardly until its movement in such direction is arrested by engagement of dog 3'? wi h platelug 38, when the direction of travel of the carriage will at once be automatically reversed. The carriage now begins to travel rearwardly, when "the grip of thejaws 48 upon the core 50 and the formed strip therearound isslightly released and the core 50 retracted or pulled from the forwardly pro-- jecting portion of the formed tube, Wliici has now been located at a suitable point, depending upon the amount of forward travel of the bar 10 and its carried parts, forwardly beyond the saw 61. As the carriage 10 thus moves rearwardly and core 50 is axially pulled or retracted from the forward portion of the formed tube, the saw 61 is gradually depressed into engage ment with the formed tube at a point spaced a selected or predetermined distance rearwardly from the forward end of the formed tube, and a section or length of the tube severed, and I may here add that the length of'the severed or finished tube-section may be varied selectively within the limits of the particular machine by the adjustable location otthe dog 37 upon the bar 55, the greater the space between the dogs 36 and 37, the greater the amount of forward travel of the carriage and the greater the length of the severed or finished tube. The space between the dogs 36 and 37 being reduced or shortened, the forward travel of the car riage 10 will be reduced accordingly and the shorter the severed or finished tube.

The carriage 10 will now continue to travel rearwardly until its movement in such direction is arrested or limited by arocking of plate 31 under the engagement of dog 36 with its lug 38, when the same operations will now be automatically continued, the saw 61 yieldingly returning to elevated position out of the path of travel of the core 50 as the dog 67 travels rearwardly oil? of and out of actuating engagement with angle-bar (36. As considerable friction heat is developed at the die 4:6, I lead to the die 46 from. a suitable source of supply, suitable cooling water-supply pipes 73-74.

It will be noted that jaws -18 move with the core 50 relatively to the machine, or, in other words, as it might be well described, the jaws e18, while, of course, movable relatively to each other to grip the formed tube upon the core, are stationary andrin fixed location upon the carriage 1O relatively to the core.

My machine is exceedingly eiticient in all its operations, requires the attention of but a si igle operator, and automatically and without waste etlj'ects the formation of tubes of a uniform selected length.

I am aware that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my new tube-forming machine may be made and substituted for those nerein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a flat-strip tube-forming machine, in combination, a movable carriage, a stationary die, jaws mounted on and movable with the carriage, a core mounted on and movable with the carriage and projecting axially through the die and between the jaws, the jaws being also movable relatively to the core and to each other for gripping the strip in tube form upon the core, and means for actuating the carriage with its carried jaws and core relatively to the die for pulling the strip upon the core through the die.

2. In a flat-strip tube-forming and cutting machine, in combination, a movable carriage, a stationary die, jaws mounted on and movable with the carriage, a core mounted on and movable with the carriage and projecting axially through the die and between the jaws, the jaws being also movable relatively to the core and to each other for gripping the strip in tube form upon the core, tube-cutting means, and means for actuating the carriage with its carried jaws and core relatively to the die for pullingthe strip upon the core through the die and feeding the formed tube to the cutting means for severance into sections.

3. In a flat-strip tube-forming and cutting machine, in combination, a movable 'arriage, a stationary die, jaws mounted on and movable with the carriage, a core mounted on and movablewith the carriage and projecting axially through the die and. between the jaws, the jaws being also movable relatively to the core and to each other for gripping the strip in tube form upon the core, tube-cutting means, and means for reciprocating the carriage with its carried jaws and core relatively tothe die for pulling the strip upon the core through the die and successively feeding the formed tube to the cutting means for severance into sections.

4. In a flat-strip tube forming and cutting machine, in combination, a movable carriage, a stationary tubular die, a core mounted on and movable with the carriage and projecting axially through the die, jaws mounted on the carriage for movement with the carriage and relatively to the core and to each other for yieldingly gripping the strip in tube form upon the core, tube cutting-means normally out of the path of travel of the carriage, means for reciproeating the carriage and its carried core and jaws for pulling the strip upon the core through the die and successively feeding the formed tube to the cutting means, and means for intermittently actuating the cutting-means into engagement with the formed tube for severing the same into sections of predetermined length.

In a flat-strip tube-forming and cutting machine, in combination, a movable carriage, a stationary tubular die, a core on the carriage axially movable through the die, jaws mounted on the carriage for movement with the carriage and relatively to the core and to each other for yieldingly gripping the strip in tube form upon the core, a rotary saw yieldingly normally above the path of travel of the carriage,

Cir

v earner;

means for reciprocating thecarriage and its carried-core and jaws for pullin'ggthe strip upon the core through i the die and successively feeding theformed tube to the saw, and means for intermittently depressing the saw into engagement with the formed tube for severing the same into sectionsv of predetermined length.

6. In a vflat-strip tube forming and cut ting machine, in combination, tubeyfoianing means includlnga stationary die and a core I upon the core and successively feeding the termed tube to cuttmg-means, said means including a pair of oppositely disposed jaws movable with the core relatively to the die and pivotally movable relatively to the core and to each other, and means for intermittently actuating the cutting-means for severing the formed tube into sections of predetermined length.

8. In a flat-strip tube-forming and cutting machine, in combination, tube-forming means including a stationary dieanda core axially movable through the die, tube-cutting means including a rotary saw normally rotat-ing out of the path of movement of the core, means for gripping the formed tube upon the core and successively feeding the formed tube to the saw, said meansihcluding a pair of oppositely disposed springpressed jaws movable with the core relatively to the die and pivotally movable relatively to the core and to each other, and means for intermittently actuating the saw into engagement with the formed tube for severing the same into sections of predetermined length. a 9. A flat-strip tube-forming and cutting machine, in combination, a movable carriage, a stationary tubular die, a core mounted on and movable with the carriage and projecting axially through the die, jaws mounted on the carriage for v movement with the carriage and relatively to the core and to each other for yieldingly, grip ping the strip in tube form upon the core, a rotary saw yieldingly normally rotating above the path of movement of the carriage, means for reciprocating the carriage and its carried core and jaws for ulhn the strip upon the core through the ie and sue cessively feeding theformed tube forwardly to and beneath the saw, and means for depressing the saw on the-successive rearward movements of the carriage into engagement with the formed 'tube for sever-mg. the

"formed tube into sections of predetermined length. p

10. In a flat-strip tube-forming and cutting machine, in combination, a movable carriage, a stationary tubular die, a core on the carriage movable through the die,

jaws onthe carriage for yieldingly gripping "the strip in tube form upon the core, a rotary saw yieldinglyi-nor-mally rotating above the path of movement of the carriage, means for reciprocatorily moving the carriage and its carried core and awe for pulling the strip upon the core through the die and successively feeding the formed tube forwardly to and beneath the saw, and

means for depressing the saw on the successive rearward movements of the carriage into engagement with the formed tube for severing the formed tu predetermined length, said last-named means comprising an obliquely disposed angle-bar carried by the saw and a tripping-dog carried by the carriage and adapted for cooperating engagement with the angle-bar.

11. In a machine for forming tubes of selective uniform length from a continuous flat st tip, in combination, tube-cutting means, tube-forming means including a stationary die, areciprocatory carriage, a core on the carriage axially movable through the die, and jaws on the carriageifor gripping the formed tube on the core, means for reciprocating the carriage and its carried core and jaws for successively feeding the formed tube uniformly to the cutting-means, and means for adjustably regulating the travel of the carriage towards the cuttingmeans for selectively varying the uniform length of the severed tube sections.

12. In a machine for forming tubes of selectivewuniform length from a continuous fiat strip, in combination, tube-cutting means, tube forming means including a stationary .die, a reciprocatory carriage, a core on the carriage axially movable through the die, and jaws on the carriage or gripping the formed tube onthe core, means compris' inga trarel-reversingmechanism for reciprocatorily moving the carriage and its carried core and jaws for successively feeding the formed tube uniformly to the cuttings means, and'means including a member adjustable upon the carriage for actuating the reversingmechanism to selectively limit the amount of travel of the carriage towards the 3. In a machine for forming tubes from a Hat strip, tube forming means including a stationary die and a core movable through be into sections of the die, in combination with a movable carriage, and means 011 the carriage for gripping the strip upon the core and pulling the same in tube form through the die, said means including a pair of spaced plates, a pair of oppositely concaved jaws disposed between the plates, normally obliquely in-- wardly disposed arms pivoted for move ment between the plates and having pres sure-engagement at their inner ends with the jaws, and a spring yieldingly pressing the jaws in a direction to increase the pres sure of the arms upon the jaws.

14. In a machine for forming tubes from a flat strip, tube forming means including a 5 movement with the carriage and relatively 3') to the core and to each other for gripping the strip upon the core and pulling the same in tube-form through the die.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PRIME I R. HAlVTl-IORNE. 

